Hide and Seek
by LivableLife
Summary: Aerin Alucio was always the curious type. After stumbling into a secret forest, none other than Paul rescues her. Soon, they began traveling together, where secrets are unraveled, love takes flight, and contest are won. The story of a girl on an adventure, who finds everything from new friends to possible love. *may contain Ikarishipping, Pearlshipping, and Ferriswheelshipping
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

_Hello everyone! _

_So this is my first story on this site. If the summary was a little too vague, it's basically my OC traveling with Paul as he encounters and deals with Ash and his gang, centered in the Sinnoh region. Yes, there is going to be romance, but I'm not going to tell you who it's between. It may be a little bit of everything! _

_Well, I hope you guys enjoy my story! Please favorite and review, and follow and favorite me if you like! _

_Much love, Shelby_

* * *

**_Hide and Seek_**

_Chapter One_

My mouth is dry, my drooping eyes tinged with exhaustion. It's been a four days since I've seen fresh water, and at least two days since I've gotten a decent amount of sleep. No matter what, I can't seem to find my way out of this forest. The map won't tell me a way out because this forest doesn't exist - in theory. I discovered it after some wandering around, and now I'm positively lost.

I've tried marking where I've been, but no matter where I go, I always end up where I originally have been camping. My team is drained. We've had to deal with the wild ones attacking us left and right. I'm almost drained of my healing supplies and revives. My outcome isn't looking too good. Though, I realize with a weakened mortality that the most likely reason this map doesn't exist is because everyone that finds it doesn't make out alive.

My Typhlosion, a humble male named Neuro, lies at my side, keeping watch for any oncoming attackers. He's my second last to not be completely drained of energy, due to my training. We both give each other a strained smile. It's nice to have some alone time to ourselves, but under these circumstances, we're feeling the stress of our impending doom.

It's growing dark again, and I still haven't found any water. I release my last healthy Pokemon from it's luxury ball. The bright light forms into a shape to reveal a Glaceon, who I nicknamed Cryptic. She's a cunning little creature and by far the most distant, but smartest out of my bunch. She glances around our surroundings with a small frown. She's realized that our situation is the same as before.

"Hey Cryp girl," I say and cough a little into my sleeve. I grab a bowl I used for the Pokemon food and hold it out to her. "I need you to give me some water."

She complies and sprays a small Water Gun into the bowl until it fills almost completely to the top. I dip the bowl back and greedily gulp all the water down. I whip the remains of the dripping water of my chin and hold the bowl back out. She refills it again and, this time I slide the bowl between both Neuro and Cryptic to let them have a drink.

I glance at my watch on my wrist, the second hand ticking slower and slower, until it completely stops. A surge of frustration and annoyance shoots through me, and I tap at the little glass repeatedly. The hands won't move, and I let out a sigh. Now I won't know what time it is, or how late it is. Due to the thick trees overhead, whose branches have curled together, the sun has been blocked from my view. The only reason I knew what was night and day was due to my watch.

With nothing left to give me the time, I lean back against the tree I had been using as my prop and close my eyes. My body is tired, so I assume I should try and get some rest.

****

I don't know how long I've been asleep, or even if I fell asleep, but a noise startles me awake. I expected a creature to be in front of me, one that I would have to face against, but instead a boy stands before me. His presence shocks me so much that I let out a small scream and try to back away, but the tree blocks me from moving.

He stares at me indifferent, his onyx eyes showing no emotion. His purple hair flutters as an unseen wind that I haven't felt before sweeps through the clearing. I'm too much in shock to say anything; I just continue to stare at him.

"Are you lost?"

"Um," I croak out; I clear my throat and try to speak again. "Yeah, I am. I have been for a couple days now, actually."

He simply nods his head, and his eyes travel to my partners, who are both on edge by his presence. "They seem tired."

"They're the only ones I have left that can fight," I tell him.

He reaches a hand down to me, which I take eagerly. He hoists me up, but helps to steady me after my legs almost gave out. Taking an Ultra Ball from his belt, he clicks the button. The capsule opens up and a stream of light shoots out to make the form of an Ursaring, and a powerful one at that. It roars loudly, causing the trees to quiver.

"You can return them to their balls. You won't need them, mine are perfectly fine in their condition." he tells me in a commanding tone, indicating Neuro and Cryptic with a small nod in their direction.

I do as he says because he's right; they're exhausted, and they need a good rest. I put them in my bag and hoist it over my shoulders and sling it across my back. I'm curious as to how he got here in the first place, let alone how he knows how to get out. to answer the questions swirling through my mind, he pulls out a small gadget from his pocket. It's small and circular, with a glass panel almost covering the entire front. I've never seen anything like it.

The glass screen lights up when he presses a button on the side, which shows two small red dots. I assume those dots are us. He begins to walk towards the way he came, holding the little device out in front of him. I follow like a lost puppy because there's nothing I can do about it.

"Excuse me, but I never did get your name," I tell him, hoping I won't offend him with my asking. For all I know, he could be some killer, or he could leave me here in the forest again, alone.

"It's Paul."

"Paul, well thank you for helping me. I'm Aerin, by the way," I respond cheerfully compared to his gruff and short response. He's probably never heard of me, though most people who were coordinators would. I was in the top 5 at the Grand Festival, in Sinnoh. However, looking at his Ursaring, I knew that he was a trainer, and a good one at that.

"Aerin... Aerin Alucio?"

My eyes grew wide. How did he know about me? I wasn't even famous - it was only my second year competing, and I had never gotten higher than 5th place. The coordinator that everyone knew about was Dawn Berlitz, who came in first both times I had competed.

"Uh, yeah, that's me."

"You competed with Dawn, didn't you?" he asks me, his onyx eyes glancing in my direction before returning to the device in his hand.

I nod my head. "I did, the past two years. I took a break this year though, to make a special trip here to search for a shiny Pokemon since all of the rumors and stories about this forest say its filled to the brim with them, but I ended up getting lost - as you can see."

"If you had done more research, you would have known you needed to get a Locatomonoter to navigate through it."

I hang my head shamefully. He was right, I had done hardly any research, but the basics. I knew the device in his hand was what he was referring too. Somehow, the thing lead us to a new area that I hadn't passed since discovering the place. A lake, filled with pristine, clear water was located in the center of a new clearing. Trees lined one side of the lake, casting a shadow.

Wait... A shadow?

I immediately look up to see the sun shining down on the clearing. It's a welcoming sight to see.

"Finally, sunshine," I sigh with relief as I let the sun dance across my face.

Paul doesn't even crack a smile. He stares out into the clearing, his eyes scanning from left to right. If he did his research, then he knows that the shiny Pokemon here are abundant. I read somewhere that it was this place, the clearing and the lake, that caused so many to appear here. The continuous sunlight, which never stopped shining for some unknown reason, caused them to mutate more often.

"Which one are you looking for?" I ask him.

I receive no answer, and I let out a huff. Paul is a reserved person, that's for sure. He walks away from where I've seated myself, and I watch him with curious eyes. It appears to me that he's heading towards the lake._ Ah, a water Pokemon._ Makes sense, since water Pokemon are hard to come by in Sinnoh.

I'm hoping that this place contains creatures from Unova. I want a shiny Rufflet, and then I want to evolve it into a Braviary. It's been my dream Pokemon ever since my friend from Unova, Courtney, fought against one in a battle of her's I attended.

Deciding that it couldn't hurt, I release my four creatures from their balls to let them rest in the sunshine. Neuro and Cryptic are the first to appear, then Lucid and Cashmere. Cashmere is my Tropius, a large beast with a long neck and long leaves for feathers. Lucid is an Electrike, a small, green and yellow pup with a large ego, and one that doesn't battle, but only does the first half of the contest. They bask in the sunlight and begin to glow, almost like that of synthesis. I pull out my Pokedex and scan them. To my surprise, they are all fully healed and recharged.

I look over to where Paul has wandered. He stops at the very edge of the water, peering over into the clear abyss. His creature stands next to him at attention, waiting for a command to be made. I watch him with curiosity. _I wonder what Pokemon he's looking for, anyway._ I think to myself as he continues to peer into the depths of the lake. Suddenly, he starts back, his Ursaring letting out a ferocious roar.

Next, a psyclone of water hurls into the air, then dissipates with a start as a large Gyarados opens it mouth with a screech. Unlike most Gyarados, which are blue, this one is red, and it's skin coloring reflects it's immense anger. I believe that this creature is the guardian of this place, judging by his anger and size.

Paul seems unfazed by the dragon-types appearance. "Ursaring, Hyper Beam."

His beast opens it's mouth and begins charging the attack, releasing the beam with enough energy for my Pokemon's hair to stand up on edge. It hits it's mark, squarely in the dragon's chest. Obviously, it wasn't expecting an attack because it never moved. However, it simply shakes the attack off, and charges at Paul, reading what looks to be an Ice Beam.

The beam releases from it's mouth, which both Paul and Ursaring dodge, but only barely. Paul orders an attack, and the bear's claws light up, and he jumps to slash at the Gyarado. Again, the dragon takes the hit. _Why won't it dodge any attacks?_ I think to myself as it falls sideways into the lake, the lake water forming a wave that goes over the edges to spill out onto the land.

It pulls itself back up, looking worse for wear. I know it can't take much left, but Paul pulls out an Ultra Ball and throws it at the creature. The ball hits its mark, turning the Pokemon into a stream of red light that the capsule encloses in on itself. It falls to the ground and lands with a thud, swishing back and forth until it stops with a click.

"Hey, good job!" I call to him as I stand myself up and begin to head over to where he is. He picks the ball up and puts it in his pocket nonchalantly. "Was that the one you came for?"

He says nothing as he walks past me, completely ignoring my question. I'm incredibly peeved by his actions. The least he could do is acknowledge my presence. I stomp after him, returning my Pokemon into their Pokeballs. He continues to walk towards the direction we came from, much to my annoyance.

"Hey, could you wait up a second? I need to find a Rufflet, and I don't wanna get lost again-"

My ramble stops when a rustling from the trees in front of us grow louder. To my complete excitement, a shiny Rufflet pops out of the brush, plucking the berries with it's beak and eating them. Paul orders his Ursaring to slash the creature, while turning around to raise his eyebrow at me. I feel my face heat up as I pull a free Luxury Ball from my pocket and throw it at the fainted bird. It captures the poor thing, and Paul picks it up before tossing it in my direction. I catch it in my hands and place it in my bag.

_Even though he can be mean, Paul seems like a nice guy, underneath all that rough exterior._ I think to myself as I follow him out of the forest. He seems extremely distant, but I can't seem to figure out why. Who knows, maybe I'll figure him out?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

_Hello again! This is the second chapter of Hide and Seek! I hope you guys enjoy it. I know there seems to be no plot, but trust me, things will start picking up next chapter, pinkey promise! ;)_

_Please leave reviews! I'll try and respond to you over PM to your review. I do like talking to people haha._

_Shelby_

* * *

**_Hide and Seek_**

_Chapter Two_

It feels like it's been four hours, but the last time I bugged Paul, he said we were about fifteen minutes away from the entrance of the forest where I had gotten myself lost. He holds the device in his hand, eyes never wavering my the path. Cryptic walks besides me, her frosty ears twitching when the wind blows through the trees, causing the leaves to rustle ominously. Paul's Ursaring walks beside his master, eyes fixated on the trail ahead.

When I watched him battle, I couldn't help but notice that Paul seems to feel no compassion towards his companions whatsoever. Unlike I, who love and adore my Pokemon whether they win or lose, Paul releases this air around him that screams, I will win at all cost. It's unnerving, the air that surrounds his figure. His presence is intimidating, but it gives me comfort because he knows the way to my freedom from this place. Plus, he seems to have taken some liking to me, so now I have some protection.

"Paul, where are you from?" I ask him. I just want this silence to end, considering I've been alone with my thoughts for the past couple of days.

"Veilstone."

"Oh really? I'm actually from Floaroma Town myself."

Floaroma Town is my hometown. It is the place I was born, where my mom and dad live right now. It's also why I got so involved in Pokemon contest because Floaroma Town is known for producing the most talented coordinators. Whenever I wasn't competing in contest, or going to school, I was wor

king in the flower shop to help the many contestants who came, or just people from around the region that wanted flowers.

I missed home. The last time I was there seemed like years ago, but really it's only been a few months since I last dropped by to see my family and my friends. Like myself, my friends turned eighteen and headed off to different towns to pursue their own dreams. One of them is the same girl who I went to watch battle that one time, which sparked my interest in acquiring a Rufflet.

"Hmm," is his response.

The silence lapses between us as we continue to walk through the forest. Too be honest, I was really curious as to where Paul was going. When i first started out my journey, I wanted to go solo and do my own thing. Now, well now I was bored and lonely. _Asking him couldn't hurt, could it?_

"So, Paul, where are you off too after we get out of this place?"

His onyx eyes glance at me with curious annoyance, before looking back down to his device. "I'm heading to Canalave to finish some business."

"Mind if I join you?"

I've never seen someone stop dead in their tracks as fast he did. I've also never seen someone so annoyed in my life, well, besides my brother when I messed with him. I thought that he would be angry with me, but his face showed one of shock. Then, his face contorts into the annoying glare he's been giving me whenever I ask him a stupid question, or if I talk at all.

"Really?" he asks me in the most sarcastic tone possible. "You want to travel with me?"

I nod my head. Just because he's going to be mean right now, doesn't mean I'm going to change my mind. Besides, I know he'll warm up to me eventually - well, hopefully he will.

"No."

"Oh, come on now. What harm could it do? Besides, I'm heading that direction anyways." that's a total lie, but he doesn't need to know that.

"You're annoying voice and constant questions cause harm to my mental health."

I scoff. "Please, don't be such a drama queen."

"I am not a drama queen. I just don't want such a weakling to tag along with me."

"What does it matter anyways, I'm a coordinator, so you don't have to worry about how strong I am."

Now, he scoffs at me. I glare at him in return. Too be honest, his tough exterior doesn't faze me. It's better than having an overactive, hyper child that talks more than I do, or some ditz who doesn't know the difference between their left or right. I've been dying for a change in scenery anyways.

What I hadn't noticed was that we were at the exit of the forest. I could see light coming through the thicket of trees in front of us. We walk through the last patch of trees, and I'm finally out of the forest. The crazy part is, when I turn around to get one last glance, the forest has disappeared, back to another dimension. Now it won't come back for another fifty years, or so the legend says.

Paul begins walking in the direction towards Eterna City, which the forest was located past the city limits to the north. Not having anywhere else to go, I follow him through the short grass. I can tell he's not happy with me because every minute, he glances back with that same glare on his face.

When we reach the outskirts of Eterna City, Paul heads straight to the Pokemon Center. I follow him, of course. Even though it was light outside when we exited the forest, the sun has started to dip below the horizon line. Nurse Joy is more than happy to take our Pokemon and let them rest for the night. However, she only gives us one room key because there's only one room left.

"But don't worry, there's two separate twin beds in there," she tells us before moving on to the next people in line.

"Tch, of course this would happen," Paul says as he strides down the back hallway to our room. If it's one thing that I've come to know about Paul, it's that he's extremely independent. The whole time I've been with him, he hasn't let me walk beside him. I'm always one step behind.

He slides the key into the lock and opens the door. I follow him inside and take the farthest bed from the door, while he takes the one on the other side of the room. There's a bathroom, which I let him use first. Well, I didn't put up a fight, if that counts for anything. I sit on the bed and kick off my shoes, stretching out my tired feet. Laying back on the bed, I let out a sigh as my body relaxes against the mattress.

It takes all I have no to fall asleep, but soon Paul walks out with his hair dripping wet and a towel wrapped around his waist. He ignores me as he heads to his bed and picks up the clean pair of clothes he's set out. Not even bothering to wait and see if he just drops the towel, I rush inside the bathroom and slam the door behind me. I crank the water on, strip myself of my clothing, and step inside the shower.

"Hey, Paul, I was wond-" I say as I open the door, the steaming rushing from behind me. I stop mid sentence when I realize that he's passed out on the bed. _Well, I guess I won't have to worry about him seeing me while I dress._ I think to myself as I drop the towel and pull on my pajamas from my bag.

I can hear Paul's soft snoring as I climb into the bed and shut the lamp off beside me. The room becomes engulfed in darkness. Sleep doesn't come to me quickly. No, instead I lay there with my thoughts to keep me entertained. The one thing that I think about the most?

_Will he be gone when I wake up?_


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N_**

_Hey everyone! Here's the third chapter of Hide and Seek. This chapter is really important, only because it introduces more characters and actually hints at a plot! Trust me, I do have an actual plot to this, though it doesn't seem like it at first. Sorry about that. _

_Okay, so to make things easier for y'all, I made a Character Sheet:_

Aerin Alucio

age: 17

hometown: Floaroma Town

trainer class: Coordinator

Team

Typhlosion

"Neuro"

Male

Glaceon

"Cryptic"

Female

Tropius

"Cashmere"

Female

Electrike

"Lucid"

Male

Rufflet

"Zanza"

Male

Paul Allen

age: 18

hometown: Veilstone City

trainer class: Trainer

Team

Ursaring

Torterra

Electivire

Froslass

Magmortar

Shiny Gyarados

Dawn Berlitz

age: 16

hometown: Twinleaf Town

Trainer class: Coordinator

Team

Piplup

Buneary

Pachirisu

Mamoswine

Quilava

Togekiss

Ash Ketchum

age: 18

hometown: Pallet Town

Trainer Class: Trainer

Team

Pikachu

Infernape

Staraptor

Sceptile

Gabite

Buizel

Brock

age: 22

hometown: Pewter City

Trainer Class: Gym Leader

Team

Croagunk

_Other characters will be introduced, depending on plot. When this happens, I will post the update in the author's note, just like I have here. So I figured this would help y'all get an understanding of the characters and their ages, which I have tweaked. And, when new characters are introduced, I'll add their little summary into the author's note._

_Well, that's basically it. Review and Favorite if you like! I appreciate the reviews, I really do. It makes my day. So yeah, it would be awesome if you would. :)_

_Shelby_

* * *

**Hide and Seek**

_Chapter Three_

I awoke the next morning in a haze. Well, that is until I saw that Paul's bed had been made neatly, almost as if I had dreamed that he was there. But, I knew better because I was still in the cozy Pokemon Center bed. Light streamed in from the open window, the breeze coming flowing to help cool down the somewhat hot room.

I climb out of bed, stretching my arms above my head and let out a loud yawn. Heading to the bathroom would be my first priority, but the fact Paul seems to have disappeared has me leaning out to open window. The road outside looks clear, except for the occasional person that heads in any general direction. No sign of Paul, though.

_Maybe he did leave me behind._ I think to myself as I sink back onto the bed. If he did, he would be long gone. According to the clock on the bedside table, it's almost twelve o'clock. He would be to the Eterna Forest if he left early in the morning. Hanging my head, I get up and head to the shower. The searing water doesn't help my mood, which grows worse by the minute.

I head out to the front of the Center, where hopefully some kind of lunch is being served. I first head to see if Nurse Joy has finished healing my Pokemon.

"Nurse Joy, are my Pokemon ready?" I ask her when I come up to the counter.

"What was your name again?"

"Aerin Alucio."

She walks through the door to the back room. I turn around, scanning the dining hall for certain male with onyx eyes. However, before I can finish, Nurse Joy comes back and hands me my five pokeballs. I take them and thank her profusely, before attaching them to my belt and heading to the buffet line to grab some lunch. I pile my plate high and make my way to find an empty seat. Figuring it as good time as any to get acquainted with my new friend, I grab the Luxury ball off of my belt and let my shiny Rufflet out.

"Ruff, let," it says as he ruffles his feathers. He peers around, confused as to where he is.

"Hey there little guy. I'm Aerin; I'm your new trainer. I do have a habit of nicknaming my friends when I first catch them, and I let them decide. So, how about it?" I ask him as I watch him. He seems very keen, quizzically peering outside to the road and then back to my food I've been nibbling on. I did remember scanning his ball earlier and seeing that he's the keen type.

"Ruf?" he says, his big black eyes looking back at me.

"What about Reckle?" I ask him. Rufflets and their evolutions are known to face against any foe, no matter the danger, so I shortened recklessness. He frowns at the name I've said, and I begin to think of another one for him.

"How about Zanza?"

He smiles at me and jumps around, chirping his name over and over again.

I smile back at him. "Sounds good to me too."

After our introductions, I let Zanza nibble on some Poffins I made in advanced. I did my research on this little guy, that's for sure. I'm already thinking about the next Pokemon to add to my team, due to the fact I have one slot left open. Most coordinators don't carry all six, but I figured the more Pokemon the merrier.

I clean up my plate, and allow Zanza to ride on shoulder. The one thing about being a coordinator is the bond between you and your Pokemon. I've been bonding for years with the others, so he's my new priority. I head over one of the computers against the wall, and email my mother that I would be visiting in a few days. If Paul did in fact leave me, then I figured I would just head back to Floaroma for a few weeks of relaxation.

I thank Nurse Joy and head on my way. I head down the road, to the Pokemart to purchase some supplies. After all of those days in the forest, my supplies have been dwindled. After purchasing my supplies, I make my way to Route 205. I train Zanza, but eventually enter the Eterna Forest. After all of those days in the hidden forest, the shaded undergrowth makes me want to turn right around. But, the only other way would be to go through Oreburgh City, and I swore I would not go back there.

The Pokemon in the forest are rampant. Who knows why, but it's something I've noticed lately. The Pokemon seem uneasy, restless. Who knows what's going on in their separate world.

It's when I'm almost to the other side when I hear the roars. I rush to the source, Zanza flying swiftly by my side. I've heard those roars before, recently. When I come into another clearing, there's Paul with his Ursaring, battling another trainer. The trainer has a spiky black hair, and a hat sits atop his head. He commands a Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, which Ursaring easily dodges and counters with a Slash attack.

I come to stand a little behind Paul, knowing that if I interrupt him mid battle, he'll really dislike me. Standing off to the side of the boy are two other trainers, a taller, dark skinned man, and then none other than Dawn Berlitz herself stand with her signature Piplup clutched to her chest. They shout encouraging words to the boy, and the name "Ash" gets tossed around in their cheers.

"Ursaring, Hyper Beam," Paul commands.

The bear charges up and lets the powerful beam shoot from his mouth, hitting the Pikachu directly. The yellow mouse flies and hits a tree, where it slides down, fainted. The boy named Ash runs over to the poor thing, and I can't help but sprint over there as well.

"Here, give this to him," I tell the boy as I hand him a Max Revive.

He looks at me uncertainly, before giving his Pokemon the candy. He eats it and immediately springs back to life. "Thanks, um," he tells me as the mouse hops up in his shoulder.

"I'm Aerin, and it's no problem," I respond with a smile.

"Paul, you could have seriously hurt Pikachu!"

We both turn to find Dawn yelling at Paul, who simply returns his Ursaring to it's pokeball. I frown when I realize that he never did thank his Pokemon for a job well done. Paul, though the girl is practically screaming at him, merely stares at her in annoyance.

"Troublesome," he says, which really sets the girl off, "I don't need your advice on tactics."

"MY NAME IS DAWN," she screams.

The man that was standing next to Dawn sweat drops, and Ash sighs loudly. Obviously this is a regular occurrence. Figuring I could easily diffuse the situation and save everyone the uncomfortableness, I make myself known to the coordinator.

"Dawn!" I yell, and it immediately gets her attention. She whips her head around, and smiles wide when she sees me.

Now, Dawn and I aren't best friends by a long shot. We've talked to each other before going out to the stage at the Contest we both attended, but that's basically it. Though because of my absence, I know she'll ask me what I've been up too.

"Aerin, is that you? Holy crap, I haven't seen you in months, we've missed you at the contest. Why did you leave, anyways?" She ask me.

I shrug my shoulders. "I traveled to Unova to visit a close friend for a while. And I caught this little guy while I was there," I tell her as I nod my head to Zanza, who's playing with both Piplup and the Pikachu. I see Paul raise his eyebrow at me, but smirks. I guess he understands why I lied because he doesn't say anything to call me out.

"I can't say I've ever seen that kind before. He's very cute, that's for sure."

"I would recommend heading to Unova, if you haven't been there. They have contest too; they just opened most of them the past year, due to people asking that they be built."

Dawn turns to Ash with a smile on her face. "We should go to Unova. Besides, we've done everything we can here, anyways."

"Hey, I think it sounds like a good idea to me," Ash replies, 'I've been wanting to head over there to try the gyms out and catch some new Pokemon. Hey Brock, didn't you say something about heading back to Pewter City anyways?"

The man, who I now know is Brock nods his head. "Yeah, my family has been missing me."

I notice that Paul hasn't said anything this entire time. Nor has he made any move to leave, and continue his way to Canalave. Which surprises me a lot because he could have left about ten minutes ago. He continues to watch us, his face not giving anything away except indifference.

"Well, it was nice to see you Aerin. I hope to see you over in Unova soon; I do miss competing against you," Dawn says with a wink. "But we're actually meeting people up in Eterna City, so we'll be on our way."

I wave bye to the gang, after giving Dawn my phone number. After I told her I had visited Unova, I realized how much I missed Hilda. The last time I was over there, Hilda was only a week away from beginning on her journey; that was a month ago. Considering that Paul was going to drop me as soon as he got the chance, I thought about calling Hilda as soon as possible.

"Aerin."

Someone saying my name drags me out of my train of thoughts. I look up to see Paul glaring at me annoyingly. I raise an eyebrow at him. The first thing I think of is, _is he always this annoyed with the world?_ The second thing is, _why is he still here?_

"Are you coming, or not?" he asks me with a small hint of annoyance.

My eyes grow wide with surprise. "Wait, you actually want me to come with you?"

"No, but I know you'll just follow me anyways," he retorts as he rolls his eyes.

I grin back at him. "Yeah, you're right."

Paul sighs loudly and turns to continue walking to the exit of the forest. I follow after him, but no matter how hard I try, he's always one step ahead of me. Not that that bothers me too much. At least he let me come with him. And that in itself, is a mission accomplished.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N**_

_Hey guys! So I tried to make this chapter longer than I have the other one's, and I think I succeeded! Not much is going on in this chapter, just more character development and building of the plot. Not much to say, other than the fact I have 21 days left of high school! I'm so excited, holy crap. Anyways, review and favorite guys! It's much appreciated :)_

_Shelby_

* * *

**Hide and Seek**

_Chapter Four_

"Hey, look! It's my town!"

Paul groans next to me, my perkiness obviously causing him some mental harm. "Really, I had no idea, since we passed a sign five minutes back."

In response, I stick my tongue out at him. Honestly, he's been about as good company as a Vanillite. Which isn't to say he's not good company; he lets me talk all I want, about anything. He gives the appropriate responses, which proves he's vaguely listening - even though I know he's not. It's just nice to have a human around for once. Not to say I don't love my team because I do. It's just refreshing having someone around for a change.

Before we even reach the town, the smell of blooming flowers fills my nose. It's around this time of year that the flowers bloom and the fruits begin to ripen enough for picking. But, that won't happen for another few weeks. Now would be around the time I would start my job at the flower shop. Orders would be pouring in about boutiques that were wanting flowers to spruce up their businesses, or bouquets that needed to be made for clients.

"Paul," I start as we enter the city, "do you mind if we stop by my house for a bit?"

He grunts a response.

"I'll take that as a yes."

We pass the Pokemart and my friend Oliver's house. The Flower shop sits a little bit pass the Pokemart. My house is next to the flower shop. The flowers bloom on the window seal, just as they always have. Flowers dot around my house, but the closer you get to the entrance to the garden, the more frequent they become.

I push open the door and slide my shoes off. "Mom! I'm home, and I brought a guest!"

Everything looks the same. The couch, however, has been moved closer to the tv, which still sits underneath the high window. In the kitchen, I can hear water boiling and the sound of a knife chopping against a wood cutting board. I take a whiff and sigh with content. Mom's cooking spaghetti and meatballs, which is my favorite dish she makes. Which means she must have gotten my email.

"In the kitchen, dear!"

I turn around to find Paul awkwardly standing on the doorstep. "Well come on in. Just put your shoes next to mine and follow me."

I watch him kick his shoes off and wait for him to turn around before heading towards the kitchen. My mom stands over the stove, her dirty blond hair that we both share tied up in a bun atop her head. She's busy chopping up an onion when I go and sit down at the kitchen table. I motion for Paul to do the same. He pulls a chair out and sits tense in the seat as he looks around our kitchen.

My mom puts the chopped onions in the saucepan and turns around with a smile on her face. "Well, I'm certainly glad to see you made it on time for once."

"Yeah, it's all thanks to Paul here," I tell her, my cerulean eyes glancing in his direction. My mom's comment comes from the fact I'm always late when it comes to coming home, or getting anywhere, in fact. I have a horrible concept of time.

My mom sticks her hand out to him, who shakes her hand politely. "Well, I'm glad my daughter found someone to keep her on track. It's nice to meet you Paul. I'm Mrs. Alucio, but you probably already figured that."

"It's nice to meet you too. Your cooking smells wonderful," he tells her, a smile on his face. An actual smile. Who knew Paul could be so polite?  
Of course my mom blushes at the compliment. "Why thank you. Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes, so if you two want to go out back, you're more than welcome too."

"Alright Mom. Follow me." I tell Paul, who looks perplexed.

My dad use to be a big Pokemon trainer. My mom was the Coordinator, of course. They met when mom went to watch one of the league battles that had been held open to the public, and it happened to be my dad who was the challenger. She went up to him to congratulate him after he won, and the rest is history.

So, after they got married, they moved here, which is my mom's hometown. When they built the house, Dad had a special pen built for his and mom's pokemon out back. That's where Mom's Espeon lives - she gave away the rest to some other trainers who needed them. Dads currently traveling over in Kanto, so his Pokemon aren't here.

"Well, this is the pen area I was telling you about," I tell Paul as we step outside.

It's a nice pen; covered in fresh grass, with trees off in one corner to give shade. It also has a few smaller tents for the ones who hate sleeping on the ground. There's a pond I made myself whenever I evolved Cryptic, who hates the heat. It's pretty wide and long, enough for at least twenty or so medium sized creatures to have enough space to be comfortable.

I release my team, and they head to their favorite places. Cryptic goes over to wake Mom's Espeon, and they head to the pond for some much needed catching up. Zanza looks around for a little bit, before flying over to where Cashmere lays underneath the trees, her long neck taking up most of the shade.

"You can release your party if you like," I tell Paul.

He grunts almost as if he despises the idea, but he still releases his team anyway. I recognize the Ursaring and shiny Gyarados, but he also releases a Torterra, Electivire, Froslass, and a Magmortar. My team goes up to the new friends, but only the Torterra and Froslass show any sign of being friendly.

"Nice team you got there," I comment as I watch the Pokemon run around.

"I know."

Of course I've gotten use to his attitude and comments, but they still irk me whenever he acts like his head is the size of a Drifblim. "They're strong."

He smirks at this. "Oh, they better be. I've trained them to be strong."

"Well it shows."

"Thanks," he tells me, averting his eyes from my surprised expression.

I smile back at him. "You're welcome."

As we sit around the dinner table and ladle spaghetti and meatballs onto our plates, I wonder how I should bring up the topic of going back to Unova to my mother. If Paul wants to go, though I highly doubt he would, then mom will like the idea a little bit better than she did last time. So maybe I should ask Paul if he likes the idea, before asking my mom. Even though I'm seventeen, almost eighteen, my mom is really protective of me after the Galactica incident that swept through Sinnoh not too long ago.

Instead of speaking my mind, I fill my mouth with a forkful of spaghetti. Of course it's delicious, and I eat the rest in gusto. Paul picks away at his meal, even being so polite as to tell my mother how amazing her food is. I wonder why he can't be that nice to me.

"So, Mom, I was wondering how you would feel about me going back to visit Hilda?"  
My mom, who was still eating, gives me a surprised look and sets her fork down on her plate. "Honey, again? You were just there a few months ago, if I remember correctly."

'Well, yeah, but I want to participate in the contest over there too. Plus, Hilda already started her journey, so I wouldn't be traveling alone. Oh! and Paul said he would come with me."

I can literally feel his gaze on me as I tell my mom that last part. So what if I was lying, just a tad bit. If she says yes, I can just tell her that Paul decided last minute not to go. It'll all work out in the end.

"Well..." she says, trailing off. "Give me the night to think about it. It is late," one glance at the clock confirms that it's almost eight o'clock at night, "so how about you two stay here, and I'll tell you my decision in the morning?"

I nod my head. "Sounds good to me!"

"Show Paul the guest room, I'll clean up the dishes."

I push my chair back and motion for Paul to follow me. He grabs his backpack where he placed it next to his shoes and follows me up the stairs. I go down the hallway and show him the first door on the right. The one directly across from the guest room is my room, and there's a bathroom at the very end of the hallway.

I push the door open, and Paul steps in. "The bathroom's at the very end of the hallway. My room is right across from your's, if you need anything."

"Why would you tell your mother that I was going with you to Unova?"

I pause in the doorway since I was about to head to my room. "Because I really wanna go. I mean, I'll just tell her that you changed your mind when the time comes. I know you have other things to do in Sinnoh."

"Who says I do?"

"What?" I ask as I look at him.

He shrugs his shoulders. "I honestly have nothing better to do. I'm heading over to Canalave to drop of the Gyarados. Too be honest, I was thinking about heading over to Unova. I've heard the Pokemon out there are ten times stronger than the ones in any other region. I could use the extra strength on my team."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes really," he scoffs, that familiar annoyed glare present on his face. "Don't act so surprised."

Now it's my turn to smirk. "You being nice _is_ a surprise you dope."

He just glares at me and huffs.

"Goodnight Paul."

"Night."

As part of my daily routine, I wake up extra early, around six o'clock. I pull on a hoodie, grab my headphones and IPod, lace up my running shoes, and go on a run. Of course I go out back and make my team tag along. The flyers have to fly the entire time, unlike the others, who have to run with me. It's something we started doing when I realized I needed a way to keep in shape, and the running helps my team as well.

The morning is cold and crisp, just the way I like it. Even though I live in an area that stays warm year round, I like the colder mornings. They make running a little more easier. I run my course, which includes going all the way to the outskirts of Jubilife City, before turning around and heading back. It's a bonus if people battle me on the way because then that really test our strength as a team.

By the time I get back, the sun is starting to peek through the trees. My team heads around back, while I head in the front door. My mom is awake, sitting on the couch sipping some coffee from one of her favorite mugs. "Good run?" she asks me.

"A much needed run."

I head upstairs and take a shower, making sure to scrub hard. The last time I was able to take a decent shower has been a long time, especially one in my own house. When I get out, I notice that the guest bedroom door is open. Paul isn't inside, and by the smell of bacon, I assume he's downstairs with my mom. I pull on some clothes and tie my blond hair up in a ponytail before heading downstairs.

Like I smelled, I come across the scene of my mother cooking pancakes, and Paul munching away on some bacon. I sit next to Paul and grab a piece of bacon myself. As I finish that slice up, my mom serves us pancakes.

"So, Mom, have you decided?" I ask her as I take two pancakes and throw them on my plate. Paul does the same, but with a lot more grace than I do.

She whips her hands on her jeans, before giving me a stern glare. "Now Aerin, I just served you food and that's how you thank me?"

"Sorry Mom, thanks for breakfast," I tell her after giving her a cheeky smile. "But seriously, what's your answer?"

"Just like your father, always so impatient," she chides. But, she gives me a smile, which can only mean one thing. "Now, don't get too excited, but I did give this quite a lot of thought, and since Paul is going with you, and you will be traveling with Hilda, I have decided that it would be okay for you to go."

"WOO HOO!"

"Aerin please, not at the table."

"Sorry Mom."

After we finished breakfast, Mom washed our clothes and helped us repack our bags, much to my dismay. Not that I didn't appreciate it, I just knew that Paul was growing more uncomfortable by my mom's openness and motherly antics. By the time we left, we both had enough supplies to last us probably three whole years. That's just how my mom is though. We stopped by the Pokemon Center to re-heal our teams, just in case anything weird happened on the way to Canalave.

Some time down the road, I got this evil grin on my face. "So, are we there yet?"

All he did was groan loudly and shake his head, a small smile on his face.


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N_**

_Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that it took so long to update. I had AP testing this week, and I was busy cramming last minute so I could pass them and get the extra college credit. I still have one more next week, but I've already got a whole page of the next chapter, so the update should be much quicker. _

_Not much to say about this chapter, except we start to see a little bit of the relationship between Dawn and Paul, well, according to Paul. They also finally head out to the Unova Region! Finally. Haha. Once the next chapter comes out, then things will get super interesting, I promise. I've got a lot of great ideas for this story! _

_Hey, on another side note, I need someone to help me make a poll. I want to have you guys vote on what Pokemon Aerin should first catch in the Unova Region because I want to see what y'all think from the four or so that I have in my brain._

_Whelp, that's about it. Sorry for the freakishly long author's not haha. Remember to review and favorite if you like my story and have any suggestions for me!_

_Shelby_

* * *

**_Hide and Seek_**

_Chapter Five_

We finally made it to Canalave City, where Paul dropped off his shiny Gyarados to someone named Reggie; who I learned afterwards was Paul's older brother. Reggie use to be a big Pokemon trainer, until after his defeat against his rival, named Brandon. After that, he become a breeder of some sort, who looked after Paul's Pokemon that he didn't carry around in his party. He was in Canalave visiting Byron the Gym Leader and the Canalave Library.

I actually liked Reggie a lot more than I thought I would. Paul mentioned going to see his brother, and I envisioned an older, meaner version of Paul. But Reggie was the exact opposite of Paul. He seemed to care greatly for Paul's Pokemon, even giving mine the once over,

In Canalave, we bought plane tickets for a flight going out of Sunnyshore City that would take us to Mistralton City, in the western region of Unova. To get to Sunnyshore City, I had myself and Paul ride on the back of Cashmere. We had to stop and rest along the way, but we made it to Sunnyshore a whole day before our scheduled flight. While Paul decided to go train with Volkner, the Gym leader, I took a trip by the Sunnyshore market, where I picked up more poffins and Seals for my team.

We met back later that day for dinner at a small Italian restaurant; my choice, of course. The place was relaxed, enough so that we could have one Pokemon out of our choice. So while we ate our meals, Cryptic was laying by my feet, eating her own plate of food.

"Have you ever been to Unova?" I ask Paul as I take a bite out of the complimentary garlic bread.

He shakes his head. "I've only seen pictures."

"Oh, you're going to love it. The climate is a little cooler, perfect for your frosty attitude."

He raises an eyebrow at me as he puts a forkful of pasta in his mouth. "Well I suppose I will then."

"I'm only joking," I tell him with a smile.

He gives me a small smirk. "I know."

I figure that this is the perfect time to bring up the subject of Dawn Berlitz to him. Whenever I have in the past, he freezes up momentarily, but quickly recovers his composure. Especially when we had that encounter with her and her gang, he acted so differently afterwards, that is until we got to my house. But the whole walk there, he was completely in his head. I think he secretly likes her. It's one of those kid games that the boys use to play, until they grew out of it; the girl you liked, you had to be mean to her. That was how the boys use to show the girl's their affections, even though it hardly worked. That is until they got enough guts to tell the girl.

So I think Paul must still be stick in that school boy phase when it comes to his feelings for Dawn. Who knows, I may be able to get more information out of him about her.

"So, Paul, tell me about you and Dawn."

His eyes grow wide, before he fixes his mask again. "What do you mean?"

"Well, how do you two know each other?" I ask.

"She started traveling with Ash before I met them. Whenever I met Ash, she was there. That's about it."

"Oh really? Don't you think she's pretty?"

He gives me a hard look. "What are you getting at Aerin?"

"You never answered my question." I counter back with a smirk.

He sighs loudly and gives a small shrug of his shoulders. "Yeah, she is, I guess. I haven't even talked to her long enough to be considered an acquaintance with her. Why does this matter to you, anyways?"

"Oh, no reason. I was just curious because when you first found me, you asked me if I had competed with her, so I assumed you two had been friends. So, you've never spoken to her, unless it's with Ash?"

He nods his head. "Pretty much."

"Well that's all I wanted to know," I tell him. Which is true, in a sense. I didn't want to freak him out by asking all those questions, and he might not even realize he has a small crush on her. If I did start bombarding him with questions, he would have shut down immediately. Or, he might have begun to suspect my motives. Either way, this was a good start. At least he thinks shes pretty.

He shakes his head a me. "Whatever."

Before boarding the plane the next morning, I flew out to Jubilife City around six that morning to purchase some new clothes for the trip. Plus, I needed a bigger bag for traveling. By the time I flew back to Sunnyshore, Paul and I had around thirty minutes to get to the airport. We ate breakfast on the go and boarded a bus that took us a little bit out of Sunnyshore where a small airport was located. The wait wasn't very long, since only people without flying types used them. And, nowadays basically everyone was a trainer.

The plane ride was suppose to take around eight extremely long hours. I've only been on one plane ride once when I was little; and only because my mother said if we were going to visit family over in Kanto, we would take a plane. My dad was all up for us taking some Pokemon, but my mother would have nothing of it. It was a smart decision because in the end, it stormed the whole ride over there.

"Paul, do you think they have a blanket? I'm freezing," I said as I shiver in my window seat. The plane was currently flying over an ocean, one I forgot the name of. I'm pretty sure it didn't even have a name. The clouds were thin and stretched far apart. From my view, I could see Gyarados, Mantine, Octillery, and schools of Remoraid, Magikarp, and Luvdisc. Once and awhile, either a Kingdra or a Walford would pop up near the surface and cause me to swoon - mostly the Kingdra though.

Paul waves over a flight attendant who came back in a few moments with a fleece blanket. "Here you go," he said as he hands it to me.

"Thanks."

The blanket was warm, and I finally stop shivering. Paul was busy typing away on his laptop - my guess would be documenting some potential battle strategies. He may already be searching and planning some of the new Pokémon he's going to catch in the new region. Whatever he was doing, he was doing intently. I decide to watch a movie. After grabbing the remote I pick some comedy movie, and the screen on the back of the seat in front of me begins to play the title.

By the time the movie ends, the sun is beginning to set. I look out the window and begin to see one or two Unova region Pokémon swimming near the surface.

"Attention passengers, we will be arriving in Mistralton City in about five hours, which will be around four o'clock tomorrow morning. In a few minutes, we will be shutting off all the lights and movies, and blankets and pillows will be passed out to the passengers that want to sleep. For the others who do not, please let the other passengers have their peace. Thank you."

I turn toward Paul, who is still typing away on his laptop. "Are you going to bed?"

He shakes his head, but doesn't elaborate. I want to sigh, but I just turn to look for the flight attendant handing out pillows. I reach for one, but Paul has to grab it for me and hands it to me without looking away from his screen. I try to peer and see what he's been doing for the past three hours, but he just turns the screen so that I can't see it and gives me a stern glare.

"Oh, stop being so secretive," I scold.

He smirks but closes the laptop screen. "I like my secrets to be kept secrets."

"Such an introvert."

"Such an extrovert," he retorts in an angry tone, but the way the left corner of his mouth tilts up lets me know he's only teasing me again. Which, he started doing a lot since we left my house. At least he's talking more, which is a plus. I thought he would be stoic the whole time we were together. Not to say that he still isn't stoic, but if I do something incredibly stupid (which happens _a lot) _then he makes fun of me for it.

If anyone else could hear our conversation, they would automatically assume that Paul was being a complete ass to me. But I know him slightly better than that, and he isn't an ass just to be an ass. I think Ash thinks that Paul is a complete ass too, which again, is understandable. But Paul and Ash are complete opposites, and I think that Paul isn't quite used to someone like Ash yet. I'm a almost in the middle of the two, personalities wise - but leaning more towards Ash. Plus, no one likes losing, especially if it's to someone that they don't agree with; another reason that Ash and Paul continue to butt heads constantly.

I wonder if things will be like that when we get to Unova. I know Dawn said she and her gang was going, but they never said when. They could have already gotten there, or they might not be coming for a week, or even a few weeks. It would be nice to see them again because Dawn always has the newest and coolest techniques. Mine, well, it takes me awhile to come up with something incredibly stunning, just because being all girly and pretty isn't really in my forte. I've gotten a lot better since I took that break though.

"Well, if you're going to be like that, I guess I'll get some sleep," I tell Paul, as I adjust the pillow and blanket that I've wrapped around me.

"Night."

"Good night."


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N_**

_Oh my goodness, I am so sorry this took so long. To make up for it, I wrote a really long chapter! I honestly don't have any reason why this took so long, other than the fact I was experiencing a bit of writer's block, which happens a lot around this stage of any of my stories. Once again, I apologize for how long it has taken me to upload! :( I hope y'all can forgive me after this because I promise to do better on updating. _

_I'm going to start responding to your views in the author's note because I think its a good idea, don't y'all think?_

**jayfeather12345:** _awww thank you! I hope I don't make them a little too perfect for each other because I want them to be realistic, but I'm glad you like them :)_

**SilverWorld:** _haha sorry about taking forever to update! But thank you so much for the compliment, it means a lot to me :)_

_The other two people who updates, I'm pretty sure I send y'all a PM thanking you for the reviews. If not, thanks so much, I appreciate it! _

_Remember to review, favorite, or follow! _

_Shelby_

* * *

**_Hide and Seek_**

_Chapter Six_

Someone was shaking me awake, and I groan loudly. Next thing is someone covering my mouth, which freaks me out. Instead of squealing and struggling, I slide my tongue across the person's palm. I crack an eye open to see Paul glaring at me with disgust as he whips his palm on the leg of his jeans. I end up giggling at him as I slide up and stretch my arms above my head and my legs out in front of me. One glance out of the window tells me that we are slowly descending over a forest.

"Attention passengers, we will be landing in about ten minutes. The seat belt light will be cut on when you should put those one and brace yourself. When I make the announcement to get your carry-ons, you may do so. Until that is given, you must stay in your seats to insure your safety. Once again, thank you for flying with us today, and I hope you enjoy your trip in the Unova region."

I grab a hair tie from my wrist and slip my blond hair into a ballerina bun atop my head; from my years of practice when I use to take dance. I rub at my blue eyes which are still heavy with sleep. I'm still exhausted even though I slept a good bit. Paul looks like he got a full eight hours in his own bed. _How the hell did he manage that?_ I think to myself as we wait for the plane to land. The light cuts on and I hear the continuous noise of people clicking their seat belts into place. When the plane lands on the runway, my stomach gives a lurch from all the jerking that happens. But as soon as we get settled, I feel better.

I really don't like flying. Never have, and I probably never will. Even flying on Cashmere makes me want to puke, especially the landing. That's why I prefer to walk, or even swim. It makes me feel better to be at least close to the ground.

When we get connected to the airport, the captain gives us his final goodbyes and wishes. Everyone starts to immediately grab for their luggage, but Paul stops me when I try to do the same. "It'll be quicker if we wait for the others to get off first," he tells me.

At first I pout because I want to get off this plane as fast as possible, but of course he was right. With most of the people off, we got to grab our carry-ons much easier than before. To get off the plane is ten times easier than I remember because mostly everyone else had departed a few minutes ahead of us.

The airport inside is bustling with activity. People move around quickly trying to catch flights, and families try to keep their children under control as they head to their destinations. There's a couple of Timburr that walk around carrying luggage for a few people, but other than that it seems that Pokemon aren't allowed in the airport. Which makes a lot of sense the more I think about it because the place is already crowded enough. Paul and I are bumped around as we make our way to baggage claim.

Once outside, I lead Paul to the closest Pokemon Center. He raises his eyebrow at me quizzically at first, but lets me grab his wrist and drag him along with me. "We need to get rooms before the others do!"

He nods his head, a sign of praise for thinking ahead. Once inside, I drop my team off for the night, as does Paul. We both check into the same room, which houses two separate beds. Paul and I dump our bags on the floor before we both crash for a few hours.

Too soon, my alarm goes off which lets me know its ten o'clock. I get up and shake Paul awake. Once we've showered and gotten dressed, we head out to the lobby. Paul heads for Nurse Joy, but I grab his sleeve and head over to one of the numerous computers on the wall. I can feel Paul's eyes on me as I race over to the computer and turn it on. The computer hums to life and I make the video call to Hilda's phone. It rings, and then her face slowly fills the screen.

"Oh my gosh is that really you Aerin?!"

I smile back at my friend. "Yes, yes it is. How are you Hilda?"

"I'm doing wonderful! I've made it to Nacrene City, where I've been training my team against the Gym Leader. She's so tough, but I know I can do it."

"That's wonderful, Hilda!" I praise her. She appears like she's been doing well, no broken limbs or bruises from what I can see. In fact, this is the happiest she's look since I've known her. "What starter did you end up choosing?" But even I already know the answer to that.

"Osha!"

The water type starter for the Unova region, an Oshawott, jumps up from behind Hilda's back to lay over her shoulder. I smile and wave at little guy, who waves back enthusiastically. Yes, I knew this rambunctious little guy would be perfect for Hilda. Oshawotts were notorious for being a hyper ball of non stop energy; exactly like Hilda.

"I knew you would pick him," I tell Hilda.

She smiles back at me with a cheeky grin. "Oh, I knew it the first time I laid eyes on him. He's just so cute." she adds while pinching his cheek.

"Well, we're in Mistralton City right now," I say before she gives a quizzical look. "Oh, this is Paul," I motion to the boy standing off to the side with his phone attached to his ear. "I met him in Sinnoh, and he decided to travel with me over here. He's a trainer, just like you."

"And incredibly attractive," she says with a purr.

_Oh dear sweet Jesus, not again._ I think to myself as Hilda eyes Paul up and down. Hilda is your typical boy crazy teenager. She grew up in a town with only one other boy, who had a huge crush on Hilda's childhood friend, so whenever she sees a guy, it's like a Fearow sees a Caterpie. "Oh Hilda, calm yourself. Besides, he's taken."

Her eyes drop momentarily. "Well darn." However, her eyes brighten again. "Well, there are other Goldeen in the sea!"

I roll my eyes at her. "You haven't changed one bit, have you?"

"Nope!" she tells me with a shake of her head.

I laugh at her. "Okay, well Paul and I are going to fly out there today. You'll meet us when I give you a call?"

"Of course!"

"Great, see you in a few!"

The line cuts dead, and the screen goes black. I turn around to see that Paul is still on the phone. To save some time, I go ahead and pick up both his and my team from Nurse Joy. When I walk back over, he clicks his phone off and throws it in his pocket angrily. I hand him his team, to which he barely utters a thank you. I don't ask him what's wrong though; but I will later when he's cooled off.

Once outside, we head to the local restaurant to grab a quick breakfast. Paul still seems like he's pissed at the world. He doesn't speak to me, only to ask if we would be flying via Cashmere. Though the thought makes me sick to my stomach, I tell him yes. We pay and consult a map before deeming the course we shall take. I make sure Cashmere knows about which directions we'll take.

We climb aboard her back, and she takes off east towards Nacrene City. The sky is cloudy, with small burst of lightning off towards the north of us. I steer Cashmere away from the pocket; no need for taking risk.

"Isn't that a little strange?" I ask Paul as we coast through the clouds. "I don't remember there being any news about a thunderstorm."

"Me either," he shouts from behind me.

I shrug my shoulders and continue to guide Cashmere through the sky. However, the small pocket of thunder has gotten my interest. Not only do I not remember there being a report of potential storms, but it seems too contained to be natural. It could be a new Pokemon I've never heard of, or Zapdos releasing some unused energy. Who knows.

"So Paul, I never did ask you about yourself," I say after a time of silence between the two of us.

The clouds have all but evaporated due to the sun, which shines down on us with radiance. The Unova Region, surrounding a small island and lake, boasts a large amount of forest, unlike the other regions. The amount of water in the center of the region helps to create dense underbrush, along with a bountiful amount of creates to capture. No one knows what's on that island in the center; whenever people get too close, they somehow pass, or go through it and appear on the other side. Of course, folk lore has been passed down from generation to generation about the island, but no one knows if its true or not.

"Well, there's not much to know."

I turn my head to smirk over my shoulder at him. "Of course there is silly."

"I'm a very simple person," he says indifferently.

"Well," I respond laughing, "I still want to know some things about you. It only seems fitting if I know some of the basics, since we'll be traveling together, and all."

I hear him sigh loudly. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, what's your favorite color?"

"Really? Such a kiddy question Aerin."

I huff loudly. "No it's not! Someones favorite color can tell you a lot about them as a person. Mine is blue because it reminds me of the beach and of the sky, and because its a very calming color compared to the others. It's also said to represent freedom because both the sky and ocean are very boundless places. And, I like to think of myself as a pretty "free" person because I like to wander a lot."

Paul is quiet for a few seconds, before responding to, "My favorite color is white."

"White can symbolize purity, rebirth, or a blank canvas. The first two are self explanatory, but the blank canvas can mean a lot of things. It means you can make anything of yourself because there hasn't been a mark made, or it could mean that you haven't done anything to put something on your canvas," I tell him, trying to remember what I had read from one of my books in my house.

"I like the color white because it's a simple color. It doesn't demand attention, nor does it want to be the center of it."

"So, someone is shy?" I ask teasingly.

He blushes and looks off towards the horizon. "No, I just prefer to not be the center of things."

"That's funny because I'm not like that at all; I like being in the center of things. I learn more that way," I respond.

Now, I'm not the type of girl who likes all the attention on her, all the time. Sometimes I enjoy knowing that people are watching me at contests because it shows that I have something that captures their attention. But Paul, well he really surprised me. You would think that a guy who was so power driven and who wanted to be the champion wouldn't mind the spotlight on him all the time. But he doesn't, which is a surprise. I guess there is more to him than I originally thought.


End file.
